Cited by 278Zoonotic diseases and public healthSalmonella and Campylobacter epidemiologyAnimal Disease Management and Epidemiology

Reverse Zoonotic Disease Transmission (Zooanthroponosis): A Systematic Review of Seldom-Documented Human Biological Threats to Animals

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Messenger, Ali M., Barnes, Amber N., Gray, Gregory C.·2014·PLoS ONE

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Research regarding zoonotic diseases often focuses on infectious diseases animals have given to humans. However, an increasing number of reports indicate that humans are transmitting pathogens to animals. Recent examples include methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, influenza A virus, Cryptosporidium parvum, and Ascaris lumbricoides. The aim of this review was to provide an overview of published literature regarding reverse zoonoses and highlight the need for future work in this area. METHODS: An initial broad literature review yielded 4763 titles, of which 4704 were excluded as not meeting inclusion criteria. After careful screening, 56 articles (from 56 countries over three decades) with documented human-to-animal disease transmission were included in this report. FINDINGS: In these publications, 21 (38%) pathogens studied were bacterial, 16 (29%) were viral, 12 (21%) were parasitic, and 7 (13%) were fungal, other, or involved multiple pathogens. Effected animals included wildlife (n = 28, 50%), livestock (n = 24, 43%), companion animals (n = 13, 23%), and various other animals or animals not explicitly mentioned (n = 2, 4%). Published reports of reverse zoonoses transmission occurred in every continent except Antarctica therefore indicating a worldwide disease threat. INTERPRETATION: As we see a global increase in industrial animal production, the rapid movement of humans and animals, and the habitats of humans and wild animals intertwining with great complexity, the future promises more opportunities for humans to cause reverse zoonoses. Scientific research must be conducted in this area to provide a richer understanding of emerging and reemerging disease threats. As a result, multidisciplinary approaches such as One Health will be needed to mitigate these problems.

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  • In one study, up to 62% of owners agreed with the statement "My dog is more important to me than any human being".

    “In one study, up to 62% of owners agreed with the statement “My dog is more important to me than any human being” [93].”

    From A One Health Perspective on the Human-Companion Animal Relationship with Emphasis on Zoonotic Aspects. (2020) · cites this paper as [93]

    The Discussion (page unavailable) reports that 62% of the U.S. population had a pet, not that 62% of dog owners agreed with the quoted statement. Searches for the statement and for dog owners rating their dogs above people found no passage addressing that survey response. (LLM, conf=0.76)

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Authors
Messenger, A. M., Barnes, A. N., & Gray, G. C.
Affiliations
University of Florida Health (US)
Corresponding author
Gray, Gregory C.
Venue
PLoS ONE
Published
2014-02-28
Volume
9
Issue
2
Pages
e89055
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2078639388
Cited by
278
References
67
Citations by year
2026: 19 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 35 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 3
FWCI
2.08
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • National University of Singapore (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Funders
  • University of Florida
  • National Institutes of Health (7r01ai068803-05)
  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R01-AI068803)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Zoonotic diseases and public health
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Salmonella and Campylobacter epidemiology
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology
Keywords
zoonotic pathogens, wildlife, livestock, companion animals, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, influenza A virus, Cryptosporidium parvum, Ascaris lumbricoides, emerging and re-emerging diseases, One Health
MeSH terms
Animals, Animals, Domestic, Animals, Wild, Communicable Diseases, Humans, Influenza A virus, Zoonoses, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

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